What Might Have Been
by Thursday-26
Summary: What if Stoick hung back? A late bday gift for putthymoneyinthypurse 3


**Hey!... so it's been a while lol. This is the first piece i've written in a while that I feel that i can post on here... this is a belated bday gift for putthymoneyinthypurse who has been absolutely amazing and has encouraged me to write SO MUCH! and sort of requested this? it was meant to be a surprise... but... im bad at surprises. ANYWAYS! Hope you enjoy this! :) This will also be cross-posted to Ao3, under Thursday26!**

"No!" Hiccup yells, his hand held out towards Stoick, his eyes focused on the hissing Night Fury advancing on him. And, for some reason, Stoick stops. Why did he stop?

 _Why did he_ _ **stop**_? Gods, the Night Fury is still moving towards Hiccup, towards his only son. Stoick's heart is racing with panic, his breathing heavy. But… Hiccup doesn't look scared. His cheeks are a little flushed, his gaze firm, but he doesn't look _scared_.

His outstretched hands are shaking a bit, but he curls them into fists and they are steady. "Stop this," he orders, voice losing any uncertainty. It's an odd angle, but Stoick can see Toothless' pupils expand for a moment, and his wings droop, but he's tense a moment later.

"This isn't you, bud," Hiccup whispers, voice strained.

Stoick is holding his breath.

"Don't listen to him," Hiccup continues, breathing evenly, maintaining eye contact, "I _know_ you."

By now, Valka and Gobber have stopped beside Stoick, watching the exchange with bated breath. Valka is holding onto Stoick's arm, her fingers digging into the skin. Gobber doesn't move past Stoick's side, tense.

Toothless stops and Stoick hears Valka inhale sharply. Otherwise, he can't hear anything else. Toothless' head keeps on tilting from side to side, but his pupils are slits. Hiccup inhales deeply, then exhales, and it shakes near the end. It's the only sign that he's nervous.

Stoick can't tear his eyes away from Hiccup. It's like he's seeing someone entirely different. He has a moment when he can only see Hiccup when he first started walking, he was stumbling over clumsy feet. And how tiny he felt in Stoick's hands when he stopped his fall. He sees the time when he helped bandage the first burn Hiccup got from working in the forge. He sees crooked, wide smiles and defiant eyes. And his heart aches because he can't stop whatever happens next.

Hiccup moves first, stepping towards the dragon, his head held high and his shoulders back. He holds out his hand and Toothless snarls and flinches before Hiccup can touch him. Hiccup draws his hand back, and bites his lip. And the next thing he does stops Stoick's heart.

Hiccup closes his eyes, turns his head, and holds his hand out.

Stoick has to grab Valka, so she doesn't interfere. And he needs someone to hold on to. In that moment that he catches Valka, he takes his eyes off the pair.

Then Toothless croons… and it's such a _Toothless_ sound that Stoick feels his heart start again. It's not hostile at all. Stoick remembers hearing it in the mornings, followed by Hiccup's laughter. He focuses back on the pair again and Toothless is shaking his head. He shakes it once. Twice. Three times. And, when he looks at Hiccup again, he is no longer tense and his eyes are wide. Toothless purrs, closing his own eyes and pressing his nose into Hiccup's hand.

Everyone exhales at the same time. Stoick falls to his knees, gasping for breath.

Stoick can't look away from them. Toothless is making happy noises. Hiccup is laughing and hugging as much of Toothless as he can. "There you are!" Hiccup exclaims, breathless from laughing, smile pulling his face in half. Toothless is wiggling and purring, pushing himself into Hiccup's arms. Valka laughs as well, still next to Stoick. It's so bright and happy, and, gods, Stoick thought he'd never hear it again. He has to look at her. Her cheeks are wet with tears, but the smile on her face is brighter than the sun, brighter than a Nadder's flame.

Gobber approaches Hiccup and Toothless first. He grabs Hiccup in a tight, one-armed hug and pats Toothless on the head with his other hand. "I'm glad you two are _so_ happy, but would you _not_ do that again? Gave me a ruddy heart attack!"

Hiccup laughs, "Sorry Gobber. Just trying to keep you on your toes."

Stoick laughs too, not sure how his life became like this. "You're crazier than I ever was," he says and tries to stand. Valka helps him to his feet, and, once he's stable, she rushes to her son. She's growling and purring, and Toothless seems to be responding to it. And she's nuzzling along Hiccup's face. Stoick watches for a few moments, in awe of his little family. Then he is finally able to move. He wraps his family in his arms and lifts them off the ground in a strong hug. Sure, there's still Drago to deal with, but they can do it together.

And, together, they can do anything.

 **So that was just a short little thing! Please leave a review! And check out putthymoneyinthypurse! She's amazing!**


End file.
